A new report published by the CBI has highlighted the role that the Mandarin Excellence Programme can have in helping UK businesses grow their trade internationally.

The “Winning Worldwide” Export Report has shown that the more firms export, the more “competitive, productive and innovative” they can be. However, despite exporters generating 30.5% of the UK’s GDP, less than 10% of British firms currently export overseas.

The report argues that foreign language skills are an important tool that can be used to increase the UK’s ability to trade internationally. The report recommends that the UK Government must work with businesses to review foreign language curricula, and then look to “replicate the success of projects like the Mandarin Excellence programme”.

The CBI welcome the Department for Education funded Mandarin Excellence Programme, which aims to put 5,000 pupils on track to fluency in Mandarin Chinese by 2020. As one of the key recommendations put forward in the report, the CBI argue that the programme must be maintained and expanded after 2020 where impact and success can be seen.

The CBI believe that the Mandarin Excellence Programme and similar initiatives clearly demonstrate the governments commitment to ensuring the UK has vital language skills needed to conduct future business.

The full article and report can be found here: http://htl.li/8DQN30l2uAi